Canadian Travel News Recipe of the Day: Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai
January 19, 2021 Jim Byers
The Mai Tai has become symbolic of garish, fruity drinks around the world. But that’s not how it started.
The Mai Tai (it means “the best” in Tahitian) is said to have been created by legendary bartender Trader Vic Bergeron, who ran Trader Vic’s in the San Francisco Bay Area and is the father of tiki/rum drinks. This recipe is the 1944 original.
Note that you might not be able to find 17-year-old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican Rum anymore. Ditto for the Garnier orgeat syrup. Luckily, there are lots of places to get great rum and plenty of shops selling orgeat (almond syrup with other ingredients).
You CAN add fruit juice, but be aware it won’t be a real Mai Tai.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 2 fluid ounces 17-year old J. Wray Nephew Jamaican Rum
- ½ fluid ounce French Garnier Orgeat
- ½ fluid ounce orange Curacao liqueur
- ¼ fluid ounce rock candy syrup
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 cup ice
- 1 sprig fresh mint
- 1 fresh fruit stick (pineapple works well)
MIXING
- Step 1 Fill a rocks glass with 1 cup crushed ice. Set aside in the freezer.
- Step 2 Combine rum, orgeat, orange Curacao, rock candy syrup, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup ice, cover and shake until chilled. Strain into the chilled rocks glass.
- Step 3 Garnish with half of the lime shell inside the drink and float a sprig of fresh mint on the edge of the glass.
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